Image Analysis of Gluten-free Breads Prepared with Chestnut and Rice Flour and Baked in Different Ovens

Review of formation mechanisms and quality regulation of chewiness in staple foods: Rice, noodles, potatoes and bread

Staple foods serve as vital nutrient sources for the human body, and chewiness is an essential aspect of food texture. Age, specific preferences, and diminished eating functions have broadened the chewiness requirements for staple foods. Therefore, comprehending the formation mechanism of chewiness in staple foods and exploring approaches to modulate it becomes imperative. This article reviewed the formation mechanisms and quality control methods for chewiness in several of the most common staple foods (rice, noodles, potatoes and bread). It initially summarized the chewiness formation mechanisms under three distinct thermal processing methods: water medium, oil medium, and air medium processing. Subsequently, proposed some effective approaches for regulating chewiness based on mechanistic changes. Optimizing raw material composition, controlling processing conditions, and adopting innovative processing techniques can be utilized. Nonetheless, the precise adjustment of staple foods' chewiness remains a challenge due to their diversity and technical study limitations. Hence, further in-depth exploration of chewiness across different staple foods is warranted.

Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast from Grains as Starter Cultures for Gluten-Free Sourdough

With the increasing number of people affected by gluten consumption-related diseases, adhering to a gluten-free (GF) diet is the most effective preventive measure. Herein, we aimed to isolate and characterize the functional properties of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast from various GF sourdoughs to determine their suitability in starter cultures for sourdough preparation. Three LAB, Weissella confusa BAQ2, Lactobacillus brevis AQ2, Leuconostoc citreum YC2, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae BW1, were identified. The isolated LAB exhibited greater TTA, faster acidification rates, and higher acid tolerance than commercial LAB. W. confusa BAQ2 exhibited the highest EPS production, W. confusa BAQ2 and L. brevis AQ2 showed high maltose utilization, and S. cerevisiae BW1 exhibited the highest CO2 production rate. Accordingly, all four microbial strains were mixed for the starter culture. The sourdough prepared with starter cultures exhibited differences in gas production depending on fermentation time, which influenced the volume of GF bread dough. GF bread prepared with fermented sourdough exhibited a 16% higher specific volume and enhanced crumb firmness and elasticity than that prepared using non-fermented sourdough. Thus, autochthonous LAB strains isolated from various GF sourdoughs can be used together to improve the quality of sourdough bread, demonstrating their potential for use in starter cultures for GF sourdough production.

Sorghum Flour Application in Bread: Technological Challenges and Opportunities

Sorghum has a long history of use in the production of different types of bread. This review paper discusses different types of bread and factors that affect the physicochemical, technological, rheological, sensorial, and nutritional properties of different types of sorghum bread. The main types of bread are unleavened (roti and tortilla), flatbread with a pre-ferment (injera and kisra), gluten-free and sorghum bread with wheat. The quality of sorghum flour, dough, and bread can be improved by the addition of different ingredients and using novel and traditional methods. Furthermore, extrusion, high-pressure treatment, heat treatment, and ozonation, in combination with techniques such as fermentation, have been reported for increasing sorghum functionality.

Optimization of gluten-free bread production with low aflatoxin level based on quinoa flour containing xanthan gum and laccase enzyme

This study was aimed to develop a new cereal-based product using quinoa flour, xanthan gum, and laccase and also to evaluate their effects on the quality characteristics of gluten-free bread (GFB). Experimental design method was applied for optimization of gluten-free formulation. The effects of three variables of quinoa flour (0-50%), laccase activity (0-2 U/g flour), and xanthan gum (0-0.5%) on the contents of total aflatoxin (TAF) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), color indices (L*, a*, and b*), and texture properties (hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness) of GFB were evaluated. The results showed that quinoa flour and laccase enzyme significantly reduced TAF and AFB1 (p < 0.05). The lowest AFB1 level (3.67 ± 0.96 ng/g) in the GFB formulation containing quinoa flour (40%), laccase enzyme (2.0 U/g), and xanthan gum (0.46%) was very close to the predicted amount (3.66 ± 0.96 ng/g). Quinoa flour significantly reduced the L* and a* values and increased b* value and improved the texture parameters. Laccase enzyme also improved color indices and texture properties. Therefore, the use of laccase enzyme and quinoa flour is recommended based on the desired effect on the quality characteristics of GFB.

Delving into the Role of Dietary Fiber in Gluten-Free Bread Formulations: Integrating Fundamental Rheological, Technological, Sensory, and Nutritional Aspects

The evidenced relevance of dietary fibers (DF) as functional ingredients shifted the research focus towards their incorporation into gluten-free (GF) bread, aiming to attain the DF contents required for the manifestation of health benefits. Numerous studies addressing the inclusion of DF from diverse sources rendered useful information regarding the role of DF in GF batter’s rheological properties, as well as the end product’s technological and nutritional qualities. The presented comprehensive review aspires to provide insight into the changes in fiber-enriched GF batter’s fundamental rheological properties, and technological, sensory, and nutritional GF bread quality from the insoluble and soluble DF (IDF and SDF) perspective. Different mechanisms for understanding IDF and SDF action on GF batter and bread were discussed. In general, IDF and SDF can enhance, but also diminish, the properties of GF batter and bread, depending on their addition level and the presence of available water in the GF system. However, it was seen that SDF addition provides a more homogenous GF batter structure, leading to bread with higher volumes and softer crumb, compared to IDF. The sensory properties of fiber-enriched GF breads were acceptable in most cases when the inclusion level was up to 7 g/100 g, regardless of the fiber type, enabling the labeling of the bread as a source of fiber.

Influence of different leavening agents on technological and nutritional characteristics of whole grain breads obtained from ancient and modern flour varieties

The aim of the work was to assess the influence of the leavening agent on several technological, chemical, and nutritional characteristics of breads prepared with whole soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flours. As leavening agents in bread-making, baker’s yeast, biga, and sourdough were utilized. Two ancient varieties, Andriolo and Verna, and a modern grain variety, Bologna, were used. Analysis of the obtained breads included the measurement of the phenols content, the antioxidant activity, the in vitro protein and total digestibility, the texture profile, the crumb grain characteristics and the microbial shelf-life test. The results of the principle component analysis of bread features indicated a clustering depending especially on the leavening agent rather than on the employed flour, particularly when sourdough was used. Protein digestibility, crumb grain characteristics, and shelf-life led to the main differences among the samples. Ancient wheat flour displayed similar features when the same leavening agent was applied. Particularly, the use of sourdough levelled the differences due to flour, leading to breads with similar technological and nutritional characteristics. The findings highlighted a marked effect of the leavening agent on bread final characteristics.

Alanine aminotransferase 1 (OsAlaAT1) plays an essential role in the regulation of starch storage in rice endosperm

Alteration of storage substances, in particular the major storage form starch, leads to floury endosperm. Because floury mutants have physical attributes for milling processes, identification and characterization of those mutants are valuable. In this study we identified a floury endosperm mutant caused by a T-DNA insertion in Oryza sativa alanine-aminotransferase1 (OsAlaAT1). OsAlaAT1 is localized in the cytosol and has aminotransferase enzyme activity. The osalaat1 mutant has less amylose and its amylopectin is structurally altered. OsAlaAT1 is predominantly expressed in developing seeds during active starch synthesis. AlaAT catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate to alanine, and this pathway is activated under low-oxygen conditions. Consistently, OsAlaAT1 is induced by such conditions. Expression of the starch synthesis genes AGPases, OsSSI, OsSSIIa, and OsPPDKB is decreased in the mutant. Thus, our observations suggest that OsAlaAT1 plays an essential role in starch synthesis in developing seeds that are exposed to low concentrations of oxygen.

Short-term storage evaluation of quality and antioxidant capacity in chestnut-wheat bread

BACKGROUND

Bread traditionally made from wheat is now often supplemented with alternative functional ingredients as chestnut flours; no data have been previously published about the staling of chestnut-containing bread. Thus short-term storage (3 days) for chestnut flour-supplemented soft wheat bread is evaluated by means of selected physicochemical properties (i.e. water dynamics, texture, colour, crumb grain characteristic, total antioxidant capacity).

RESULTS

Bread prepared with a 20:80 ratio of chestnut:soft wheat flours maintained its moisture content in both crust and crumb. Crumb hardness, after baking, was found to be significantly higher than that of the soft wheat bread; it did not change during storage, whereas it significantly increased in the control bread until the end of the shelf life. The supplemented bread presented a heterogeneous crumb structure, with a significant decrease in the largest pores during shelf life, relative to the shrinkage of crumb grain. The control exhibited a significant redistribution of crumb holes, with a decrease in the smallest grain classes and an increase in the intermediate ones, most likely caused by cell wall thickening. The colour of the crumb remained unaltered in both breads. The crust of the control presented a significant decrease of a* (redness) and that of the supplemented bread exhibited a decrease of b* (yellowness). The antioxidant capacity was detected after day 1 of storage in the chestnut flour bread only.

CONCLUSION

Chestnut flour supplementation could represent a feasible way of producing bread with improved characteristics, not only just after baking but also during shelf life.

Agronomic and genetic analysis of Suweon 542, a rice floury mutant line suitable for dry milling

BACKGROUND

Producing rice flour of good quality by dry milling is necessary to reduce milling costs and promote the processed rice food industry. This study was conducted to evaluate the dry milling properties of Suweon 542, a floury endosperm mutant, and identify the chromosomal region responsible for the floury endosperm characteristics.

RESULTS

Compared with the wild type, after dry milling process, the grain hardness of Suweon 542 was significantly lower because of its round and loosely packed starch granules. Also, the flour of Suweon 542 had significantly smaller particles and less damaged starch than Namil and other rice cultivars and its particle size distribution was similar to a commercial wheat cultivar. Considering that the yield loss of Suweon 542 due to its floury endosperm was largely compensated for by an increased number of spikelets per panicle, Suweon 542 has potential value as a raw material for rice flour production. Association analysis using 70 genome-wide SSR markers and 94 F2 plants derived from Suweon 542/Milyang 23 showed that markers on chromosome 5 explained a large portion of the variation in floury grains percentage (FGP). Further analysis with an increased number of SSR markers revealed that the floury endosperm of Suweon 542 was directed by a major recessive locus, flo7(t), located in the 19.33-19.86 Mbp region of chromosome 5, with RM18639 explaining 92.2% of FGP variation in the F2 population.

CONCLUSIONS

The floury endosperm of Suweon 542 is suitable for dry milling, with a small flour particle size and low damaged starch content. Further physical mapping of flo7(t), the floury endosperm locus of Suweon 542, would facilitate efficient breeding of rice cultivars with proper dry milling adaptability that can be used in the processed rice food industry.